Carmen Valero

Spanish middle-distance runner (1955–2024)

Carmen Valero Omedes (4 October 1955 – 2 January 2024) was a Spanish middle-distance runner who represented Spain at the 1976 Summer Olympics.

Carmen Valero
Personal information
Full nameCarmen Valero Omedes
NationalitySpanish
Born4 October 1955
Castelserás, Spain[1][2]
Died2 January 2024 (aged 68)
Sabadell, Spain[1]
Height166 cm (5 ft 5 in)[3]
Weight53 kg (117 lb)[3]
Sport
CountrySpain
SportMiddle distance running[4][5]
Event(s)8005000 m, cross country running
Retired1987
Medal record
Representing  Spain
World Cross Country Championships
Gold medal – first place 1976 Chepstow Cross country
Gold medal – first place 1977 Düsseldorf Cross country
Bronze medal – third place 1975 Rabat Cross country

Athletic career

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Valero was best known for representing Spain at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.[6] Valero was the only woman in the Spanish track and field squad for the Montreal Games, and became the first female athlete to ever represent the country at the Summer Olympic Games.[7]

Valero won two women's races at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 1976 and 1977,[8][7][9] while also winning the bronze medal at the same competition in 1975.[3]

In 1980, Valero announced her retirement,[2][9] after having multiple injuries[5] and her decision to take care of her family.[2] She also did not approve how female athletes were underpaid and mistreated by Spanish sports organizations.[2][5] However, two years later, she returned.[2][5]

Valero officially retired from running competitions in 1987. Apart of her two world cross country titles,[8] she also won twenty-five Spanish national titles in cross country.[7]

She also won multiple titles at the Catalan Championships, seven of which in cross country. She held the Spanish records for the 800, 1500 and 3000 metres,[1] and represented Spain internationally twenty-five times.[1]

Valero died from problems caused by a stroke on 2 January 2024 in Sabadell, Spain at the age of 68.[8][10]

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Muere Carmen Valero, la primera atleta olímpica española". RTVE (in European Spanish). 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Cazón, Patricia (2 November 2018). ""Me prohibieron correr 10 km, era mucho para una mujer..."". Diario AS (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Arribas, Carlos (2 January 2024). "Muere a los 68 años Carmen Valero, la primera atleta olímpica española". El País (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  4. "CAMPEONATOS DE ESPAÑA ABSOLUTOS AL AIRE LIBRE" (PDF). rfea.es (in European Spanish). Royal Spanish Athletics Federation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Pérez, Ismael (28 December 2019). "Carmen Valero: "En Alemania corría con braguitas, y aquí me ponía bombachos o me decían barbaridades"". Runner's World (in European Spanish). Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  6. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Carmen Valero Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Amorós, José M. (1 January 2024). "Muere la pionera Carmen Valero, primera atleta española que compitió en unos Juegos Olímpicos". Relevo (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Fleitas, Begoña; Romano, Javier (2 January 2024). "Muere Carmen Valero, doble campeona mundial de campo a través". Marca (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Toro, Carlos (2 January 2024). "Muere Carmen Valero, primera atleta olímpica española, a los 68 años". El Mundo (in European Spanish). Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  10. "Mor als 68 anys Carme Valero, referent de l'atletisme català i estatal". CCMA (in Catalan). 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.